THE SOURCE: Gangster Rap

Soren Baker's 'The History of Gangster Rap' Out on Abrams Books on October 2

In the mid-1980s, gangster rap didn’t have a name; but virtually everyone who heard it realized its potency. Artists like Schoolly D, Ice-T, Boogie Down Productions, Eazy-E, and N.W.A had created a new style of rap, one that contained graphic, X-rated stories of violence, drugs, and sex and served as first-person street reporting that recounted the violence ravaging black, urban America at the time.

From still-swirling conspiracy theories about the murders of Biggie and Tupac to the release of the 2015 film Straight Outta Compton, this era of gangster rap continues to fascinate music junkies and remain at the forefront of pop culture. The History of Gangster Rap is a deep dive into this compelling phenomenon from one of its most noted documenters, journalist Soren Baker

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